Just after 4 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, a building in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood completely collapsed, while an adjacent three-story apartment building partially collapsed. Eight people have been confirmed dead and at least 17 injured. Rescue operations are ongoing. CBS News has photos showing one side of the second building torn away, exposing the interiors of several apartments.

Rescue efforts are still ongoing.

Crews are on the scene of a building collapse that happened just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday in Brooklyn, New York, officials say. According to the FDNY, people are reported to be trapped, and four people have been injured. 

Photos and video from the scene appear to show an entire side of the building collapsed, exposing the interiors of stairwells and apartments. The FDNY says a major technical rescue operation is ongoing. 

A report on the main CBS website has more details, most notably the ongoing demolition and construction effort on an adjacent lot. 

At least eight people were killed and 17 others injured Wednesday in Brooklyn when one building collapsed and a second was significantly damaged, authorities said. 

The collapse occurred just after 4 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday at a three-story building on Flatbush Avenue near Bedford Avenue in Flatbush.

The New York City Police Department said a building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. was completely collapsed, while the side of an adjacent building at 1323 Flatbush Ave. was torn off in the process.

According to police, the building that fully collapsed was occupied by residents at the time. Photos and video from the scene showed the exposed interiors of stairwells and apartments in the neighboring building. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

There is an ongoing construction project on another vacant lot adjacent to the collapsed and damaged buildings, and although there was a violation issued to a demolition contractor, there is as yet no statement from the New York authorities as to whether the collapse is in any way related to that project.

Meanwhile, city records show that a contractor was given a violation over activity at the vacant lot adjacent to the collapsed building, 2625 Bedford Ave. According to city records, the buildings department had issued a violation to a demolition contractor in April because inspectors said the building at that site had been demolished despite a city order to stop all demolition work. That violation is now listed as resolved, and the violation notice does not state why the city issued a stop work order in the first place.

DOB officials say plans had been approved for the construction of a three-story building at the site, and excavation work was happening prior to the collapse.

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore is reported to have stated that investigators are still sifting through the rubble, and that there may yet be people trapped in the collapsed structure. It's likely to be several days before all the victims are recovered. Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared a statement on the matter on X:

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The full statement reads:

Rescue workers have spent the night searching the site of yesterday’s building collapse, working under extremely dangerous conditions to find and save anyone who may still be trapped.

I am heartbroken that eight New Yorkers have now lost their lives and at least 17 have been injured, including three firefighters.

There are no words for a loss of this magnitude. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we have lost, those who are injured and everyone grieving today.

Rescue operations are ongoing. Please stay clear of the area and keep those affected, and our first responders risking their lives in these efforts, in your thoughts.

If you are unable to reach someone you believe may have been affected by the collapse, please call 311. If you are outside New York City, call 212-639-9675

The building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, according to one real estate search, was built in 1930. That's an old building, but there are far older ones in many of our East Coast cities. Again, there has been, as yet, no statement of any maintenance issues that may have led to the collapse. It's also worth noting that this, again, reduces the inventory of "affordable" housing in the city. 

This is a developing story. We will be bringing you updates as events warrant.